ORIGIN

James blinked and hummed, "I was going to try and do that myself. My daughter was his at one time. He has a son, too, though I'm afraid he believes in Ari too much to ever listen to me. I'm afraid that if I tell them, Ari will have already gotten them to believe in him, too. Honestly, Collector? It's too iffy of a price to pay, one I can't guarantee. I of course will still try of my own accord, but I may not be able to pay you with the knowledge that I was successful. If his stones or children get taken away, perhaps, but I suspect it won't be easy."

"I doubt they've been awoken now, either way, and if they have since I've seen him, they'll hatch after my child does," he explained, and sighed, "I'm afraid there's a bit of a time limit."

He bit his lip and tried to consider something else, thinking of anything he could do, anything he could make that could possibly appease the Collector.

"Hm... a while ago, I think, there was a quest given to some of us by an entity called 'the Three Kings'. They wanted a cloth made out of the fur or hair of someone pure-hearted- I doubt it was, I used Ari and mine's fur and hair, and I'd be arrogant to say I am pure-hearted. But there was the blood of someone evil- something like that, and a rod. Out of those three things, I believe the blood of someone evil and the cloth woven from the fur or hair of someone pure-hearted could be valuable, and things I could get for you," he said, "Though I'm reluctant to inflict pain upon another."

Especially after the disaster that was the Batcat incident...

"Of course if you don't think that's enough, I'm still open," he said quickly, hoping that the Collector wasn't discouraged. He himself would prefer a certainty over something not guaranteed.

James nodded, "I can do that. I've already begun, some others helped me figure him out. My tutor and another. I'll spread the word to those he could influence. If he's planning something, I'll stop it in its tracks."

He exhaled softly and nodded to himself, "If I'm honest? I hope he doesn't revive those stones at all. They'd be safer. I'll warn everyone else, though, and tell him what he's done. Thank you, Collector."

"Thank you, you can have the rest of this," he said, nudging the bag of fruit forward towards the Collector, "I'm going to go home and tell my daughter, then spread the word where I can."

"When should I come back for the sling? I believe I should have told a number of people by the time my child hatches- and I'll keep an eye on Ari, and Sun," he said.